Norwich City are profiting from a 'love-hate' relationship between Emiliano Marcondes and Borja Sainz which has helped fuel an uplift in attacking productivity.
The experienced Dane has established himself as a key cog in Johannes Hoff Thorup's system since arriving on an emergency free transfer in October, whilst Sainz's goal-scoring form has propelled him to the top of the Championship charts.
Marcondes has formed a strong, but emotional relationship with the Spaniard on the pitch, which has often seen them involved in fiesty conversations throughout matches.
But it is that edge that Marcondes believes has created the on-field connection that has enabled them to boost City's goal-scoring qualities in recent matches.
"From my first assist against Middlesbrough, I just gave him the ball, and he shot and scored. Sometimes, it is easy to get an assist for him - you just have to pass him the ball, and he will make the rest of the story.
"We have a good relationship and can demand a bit from each other. In training, we push each other," Marcondes said. "It is like a love-hate relationship where we can also yell at each other, but we can make some good things, and that's the most important thing.
"He is an emotional guy, and I also play with passion. That comes out when we play together on the pitch to create a connection that shows we want the best out of one another."
Sainz became the fastest Norwich player to reach 15 league goals since Hugh Curran in 1968 with his strike in City's 4-2 victory over Luton on Saturday.
That scintillating Championship form has created inevitable speculation ahead of the January transfer window with Turkish giants Galatasaray the latest club to be linked along with clubs from Spain and England also monitoring his progress.
Marcondes knows the quality of his City colleague and has praised his handling of the increased level of attention.
"He has a very high level, and his ability to dribble and go one-versus-one and his shooting abilities are top class. Also, compared to the other players that I've played with, it's really good.
"He has to continue working hard, stay focused and demand to be better every day. I'm sure, from what I'm seeing now, that he's professional and stays on top of things," the experienced Dane said.
"If he continues with his hard training, then the rest will follow."
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